The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1887-09-16

take. why, we gives 'em n sum down,
and so much week as long as they're
with us; and precious glad they are Of
it, they are. You see, it's friendly all
round: it pays us; it pays the poor peo-
pie; it pleases the curiosity; and II
amuses the public. If we didn't take
'em into our show, they'd very likely
git sent to the workus, or kicked about
and ill-treated. eos they wouldn't be
able TO earn their own living. But
when they're with us. their people gifts
kind o. proud of 'em, and will come
and 'ang around the show. and seem
glad If they can git any one to listen to
em when they says they're related to
the curiosities inside. There's always
plenty of offers a-coming TO us Some
times we buys performing animal of
some circus people when he's old and
not good enough for them, but qsfte
smart enough for us. Sometimes we
gifts 'em young. and trains EN- our.
selves. Sometimes - But there
it won't do to tell you hevery thing. or
you'll be writing to the newspapers or
something o. that kind
This dark allusion to something
mysterious heightened my curiosity,
and endeavored TO draw him ont fur
ther, but with no success; and he pres
emily went ON again as follows:
'.PayP-Yes, of course 1t pays, else
we shouldn't keep on the same lay.
There amt much to be done any
where's in the daytime, and none ut all
just here; but of a-night. we can fill
the show as many times as we likes;
and although it's only penny. when
there's sixty or seventy people go
in every quarter cf an nour,
you see it mounts up. Lots on
'cm goes in three or four times.
they gifts so interested. After one
shows over and a fresh batch ready,
some of those who went in first II come
back and pay agin, p'r'aps bringing a
friend, who was awaiting To hear what
the fust one said about it; and then they
goes in again, eos they can't remem-
ber how much the fat lady weighs; OF
else they gifts to feel sort o. pride that
they've bin TO our show more times
than any o. their mates. Lor bless YOU,
sir. l blieve some on 'em feels sorry
they wasn't born a curiosity themselves
Yes. it's always best 70 git in what 5
called a low neighborhood. though why
1t should be called low. dunno Poor
peoples pennies are as good as any one
else's. as fur rs | can make out; and II
any o. the young fellers ever gifts OBJ
streperus or a-teasing of the curiosities.
we've only got to speak a bit sharp to
EN-; and they're as quiet as n murderer
after he's been and got 'anged.
The reader Msll observe that his sim
| lies were both forcible and original.
'.Yes, about week is the time foI
stsying in one place sometimes fort
night. and we have run as long rs three
weeks when we've had some fuSt-elass
cnriosities. But we allus seems to be
moving. and never gifts settled. o.
course. If one of. our best attraction:
dies, as they often does If the weather.
bad. we have to shut up for a time
| eos il gifts noised about that there
ain't half so much to be seen as i.
announced. There never is. You sayi
Well. and wot if there amt? Are ",
any worse than any one else, l should
| like to know? Is the man what adver
tises medicine. to cure every thing a-tell
ing the truth any more than us? Is th'
man what waters his milk. and takei
his dayy it's pure. any better? No; bu
just eos it's us. and our show ain
quite all what it says on the canvas, W.
gifts called rogues and swindiers.
saw il was time to replenish tn
empty tumblcr; but. in spite of it,
could get very little more out of tn
hoarse-voieed man. 1 had evidently
touched his dignity, so, wishing hin
"crowded houses wherever he went,
left him to his reflections on the in
equalities of social adventures gen
orally.
Since then have been to scores o
penny gaffs.' as they are called in In
neighborhoods which are favored wit
their visits, and have seen natural d,
formities (s.freaks of nature the cal
vas generally has it), wild anima
GENERALLY poor beasts which want a L
of goading before their ''hot blood
can be got up sufficiently to make thel
look fierce), fat women and skeleton
strong men and dwarfs, jugglers an
acrobats, performing dogs, snak
charmers. and latterly, "thought-reai
ers;'" the aforementioned having a
been pupils of the leading though
readers of the day, and paid fabulol
sum for their initiation into the mar
mysteries of the art Sometimes Il
/ tricks done are really clever; sometim,
as transparent as crystal; often, by Il
aid of an accomplice, who, despite h
endeavors to appear to be one of Il
crowd, can generally be picked out
the discerning. because he inyariab
ovcrtloes his part; and sometimes th,
are not tricks at all, but miserable a
tempts. which deceive nobody. But Il
, people who so to see them are Statistic
and that is every thing. They can gil
! penny where they could not affoi
, sixpence; and. if the entertainment
: not intellectual, it is certainly not vel
, harmful, the only real objeetionab
: feature being the exhibition of naturs
: or, more correctly speaking, unnatur
, human deformities. = Chambers Jou
! nal.
a Congressman's Faithfulness.
AS John Quincy Adams. then n re